a6120n boot hard drive upgrade / replacement over 2tb (4tb) not being recognized

[SuperTuna]

Hi all,

My primary HDD recently failed.  So i went out and picked up a new HGST 4tb internal drive to replace the dead drive.

I figured I'd use the opportunity to make this a fresh clean new install of Windows 10.  So with the Microsoft Media Tool I created a Windows 10 installation DVD. 

Unfortunately, when I boot the PC with the new Windows 10 (64bit) installation disc, it only allows me to create a new partition up to a maximum size of 1768gb. 

Now I do remember reading about a 4gb RAM limitation the BIOS/motherboard has, but I couldn't find any limitation on the hard driver size. 

Although I found some articles stating that UEFI & GPT would be required to make this work for any HDD over 2tb, I have absolutely no idea how to do this, nor if this motherboard has any limitation.

Any help you could provide would be very much appreciated as I've been racking my brain for the last month trying to solve this.

[Karthik]

#HPExpertDay

Even if you get the partition done, etc. Since the HDD is been replaced, the Product Key which came with the unit would not work. Product key is tied up with three components of PC and HDD is one of them. To get the new HDD tagged, you would need to call HP and setup a setive or take the unit to authorized service provider.

[Mister_Do]

Hi SuperTuna,

Did you try all the steps listed here:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows_10-windows_install/clean-install-windows-10/...

[RasterBlaster]

On the HGSt web site is the following note:

Overcome the 2.2TB Windows' limitations with the HGST GPT Disk Manager. So create the partition to install Windows 10, and then use this tool to play around with partition sizes to get what you need.

https://www.paragon-software.com/hgst/

I've never used ths tool before...perhaps someone who has done this on the forum can chime in. But I would just download and look for manuals and help files for the tool.

[SuperTuna]

Hey Karthik, thank you so much for replying so quickly!

My appologies, I totally failed to mention that I wasn't going to be using the key that came with the PC.  I was hoping  to use a new Win10 key I have. 

My stumbling block at this point was getting the HDD regognized as a 4tb. 

Also, I'm not quite sure what a setive is?

[SuperTuna]

First time i see this tool!

I had just finished downloading it when I noticed that it mentions "...and the resulting hard disk drive cannot be used as a boot drive." So I'm not sure if this will work?

[SuperTuna]

Hey Mister_Do,  I just read through that article and found a little point that may make a difference;  It reads  " You may need to turn off Secure Boot and Fast Boot in BIOS setup to boot UEFI installation media"

Will give this a try tonight.  Hopefully that resolves it!

[Mister_Do]

I hope it works!

[SuperTuna]

Turns out there's no option to remove the fastboot on the BIOS...

[wb2001 · Accepted solution]

What you failed to disclose was the original BIOS was Vista.  With that stated, you would not have a BIOS level available to download that would of had level 8 (UEFI BIOS) compatibilities and options you need.